Latest news with #powertrainWarranty
Auto Blog
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Ram Adds 10-Year Warranty to Full-Size Trucks and Vans
Ram is offering a new 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty on its full-size trucks and vans in a bid to rebuild trust and better compete with rivals. Ram Introduces America's Longest Truck Powertrain Warranty In an effort to shake concerns about quality and reliability, Ram is launching what it claims will be America's 'best' warranty on full-size pickups and vans. It's been a tough year for Ram, and the Stellantis truck brand is rolling out an assortment of new product and marketing programs aimed at drawing back skeptical buyers. One move is meant to burnish the brand's reputation for quality and reliability with Ram announcing a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty on its full-size pickup family, as well the ProMaster vans sold in the United States. 'The extended warranty is particularly important at a time when rising new vehicle prices have forced millions of buyers to stretch out their auto loans to six, seven, even eight years,' said Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, during a media background briefing at the brand's suburban Detroit headquarters. 2025 Ram 1500 RHO — Source: Ram Which Ram Trucks and Vans Are Covered Under the New Plan? 'Everything is more expensive, and trucks are certainly no exception. Truck buyers are financing purchases for longer periods of time, with nearly 80 percent of new truck loans exceeding five years,' said Kuniskis. 'Our customers are making a long-term investment in Ram, and with America's Best Full-size Truck Limited Powertrain Warranty, Ram is making a stronger and longer commitment to our customers.' The vehicles covered by the new warranty include: 2025 RAM 2500 Heavy Duty Laramie — Source: RAM Ram Responds to Criticism Over 2025 Lineup and Hemi Exit The new warranty program comes at an important time for Ram. The automaker has suffered a sharp drop in sales over the last couple years, a downturn that took the automaker by surprise in light of its launch of a completely made-off 1500 half-ton pickup for 2025. In his background session, Kuniskis acknowledged that Ram 'got it wrong' when it decided to end production of its iconic Hemi engine with the launch of the 2025 truck. That V8 returns to the option list starting later this summer. 2026 Ram 1500 Black Express with HEMI® V-8 front 3/4 All told, Kuniskis said, Ram has 25 major announcements to share in the coming months. And it's betting that the longer warranty will be particularly effective in winning back buyers, as well as conquesting customers from rivals Ford, Chevrolet and GMC. It helps that Ram already has build a reasonable reputation for quality and reliability. In the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality released in June 2024 it was the overall highest-ranked brand overall ahead of not only mainstream marques such as Chevrolet and Hyundai, but luxury brands including Porsche, Lexus and Genesis. About the Author Paul Eisenstein View Profile
Motor Trend
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Ram Introduces Righteous Warranty on 2026 Model-Year 1500, Heavy-Duty Trucks
Consumers are keeping their vehicles longer than ever—trucks, too, so Ram is sweetening the deal for its 2026 model line by offering a longer powertrain warranty. We're talking 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. That is a big leap from the 2025 Ram 1500 full-size pickup truck's 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Ram's 2026 models will feature a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty for U.S. buyers, covering various trucks and vans. This move aims to boost brand loyalty amidst recent challenges. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next The more generous warranty covers 2026-model-year Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram Chassis Cab 3500/4500/5500 and Ram ProMaster vans sold in the U.S. The performance Ram 1500 RHO and Power Wagon also come with the extended coverage. The extended warranty is not being offered in Canada. It covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles. It can only be used by the original owner, so it is not transferable. It applies to individual buyers or businesses whether they buy or lease, but excludes fleet purchases. Why Do This Warranty Now? The average age of a vehicle is up 30 percent to 12.6 years, says Ram brand CEO Tim Kuniskis. Four out of five truck buyers finance their vehicle for five or more years and then keep them another five or seven years. While these buying and ownership practices have changed, no automaker has changed its warranty to match. Initially Kuniskis planned to offer the 10-year warranty on the Ram 1500 only to test the idea for a few months and then decide whether to expand it to include heavy-duty trucks and commercial vans. Kuniskis thinks offering the best warranty in the business will be a significant move. Truck buyer loyalty is legendary: 75 to 80 percent of pickup owners remain loyal to their brand after their first truck. You need to give them a good reason to switch brands. Ram thinks this might be reason enough. Give 'em a Reason to Buy a Ram About 3.6 million people own a Ram now, but the brand is getting over a rough patch. The launch of the refreshed 2025 Ram 1500 did not go smoothly, the automaker had trouble getting all the trim levels out the door, they were priced too high, and Stellantis had decided to drop the V-8 option, which rattled some buyers. Since then, Stellantis has installed new leadership at the top with CEO Antonio Filosa, prices have become more competitive, and manufacturing has ramped up. Kuniskis returned to Stellantis in December, coming out of retirement after only six months to try to restore the brand. He has promised 25 product-related announcements, starting with the return of the Hemi V-8. Customers can order the 2026 Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter V-8 as an option, though it'll cost more than the (more powerful) Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 that effectively replaced it for a year. With the throaty V-8 back in the lineup, after it was discontinued for the 2025 model year, Ram also announced plans to return to NASCAR, pledging to be part of the Craftsman Truck Series in 2026 after being out of it for 13 years. Ram plans to compete at Daytona in 18 months and has shown a Ram 1500 concept race truck. Ram has also launched a new tagline: 'Nothing Stops Ram' and the 'Never Stop Being American' marketing campaign.
Car and Driver
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Ram's Powertrain Warranty Is Rising to 10 Years or 100,000 Miles
Ram is increasing its powertrain warranty for most 2026 models, with coverage set to rise to 10 years or 100,000 miles. Along with the heavy-duty trucks and ProMaster vans sold in the United States, the improved warranty covers the gas-fed 2026 Ram 1500 lineup too. Currently, Ram's powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles for gas-only models and five years or 100,000 miles for diesel models. Ram fans are getting a lot of good news lately. Earlier this month, the truck brand revealed that it's bringing back the popular Hemi V-8. Now, Ram has announced that it plans to increase the length of its limited powertrain warranty for most of its 2026 models. By offering 10 years or 100,000 miles, Ram will have the longest powertrain warranty among full-size trucks. Currently, its coverage is limited to five years or 60,000 miles for gas-fed models, which aligns with Ford and GM rivals. Like most heavy-duty trucks, Ram's diesel powertrain warranty lasts until 100K miles, but it's capped at five years. Ram Along with the half-ton and HD trucks, Ram says the models that will receive the improved warranty protection include the chassis-cab 3500, 4500, and 5500, as well as the ProMaster vans. While the off-road-ready Ram RHO and heavy-duty Power Wagon are eligible for the higher warranty limits, all-electric models such as the Ram ProMaster EV are excluded. Ram's new limited powertrain warranty covers the axles, driveshafts, engine, transmission, and transfer case. It's also eligible for new vehicles that are purchased or leased, but fleet purchases don't get the same protection. Eric Stafford Managing Editor, News Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si. Read full bio
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ram's Powertrain Warranty Is Rising to 10 Years or 100,000 Miles for U.S. Models
Ram is increasing its powertrain warranty for most 2026 models, with coverage set to rise to 10 years or 100,000 miles. Along with the and ProMaster vans sold in the United States, the improved warranty covers the gas-fed too. Currently, Ram's powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles for gas-only models and five years or 100,000 miles for diesel models. Ram fans are getting a lot of good news lately. Earlier this month, the truck brand revealed that it's bringing back the popular Hemi V-8. Now, Ram has announced that it plans to increase the length of its limited powertrain warranty for most of its 2026 models. By offering 10 years or 100,000 miles, Ram will have the longest powertrain warranty among full-size trucks. Currently, its coverage is limited to five years or 60,000 miles for gas-fed models, which aligns with Ford and GM rivals. Like most heavy-duty trucks, Ram's diesel powertrain warranty lasts until 100K miles, but it's capped at five years. Along with the half-ton and HD trucks, Ram says the models that will receive the improved warranty protection include the chassis-cab 3500, 4500, and 5500, as well as the ProMaster vans. While the off-road-ready Ram RHO and heavy-duty Power Wagon are eligible for the higher warranty limits, all-electric models such as the Ram ProMaster EV are excluded. Ram's new limited powertrain warranty covers the axles, driveshafts, engine, transmission, and transfer case. It's also eligible for new vehicles that are purchased or leased, but fleet purchases don't get the same protection. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ram announces 10-year, 100K-mile powertrain warranty on new vehicles
Offering coverage for 10 years and 100,000 miles, Ram is announcing its latest powertrain warranty as "America's best." The idea for a more expansive warranty, said Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, came from looking at the timelines of leases on new trucks. "Truck buyers are financing purchases for longer periods of time, with nearly 80% of new truck loans exceeding five years,' Kuniskis said. As leasing timelines also go up — and prices of trucks rise, too — Kuniskis said the brand hopes to offer an expansive warranty that will entice buyers to consider Ram when they are purchasing their next truck. The powertrain warranty, which will apply to the original owner of 2026 and later model years of Ram vehicles, is not bumper-to-bumper. It covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles of the vehicle. New 'Vette: 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X is likely GM's most powerful Phelan: 2025 Ford F-150 Lobo gets racy 'street truck' makeover Ram's previous powertrain warranty was exactly in line with its competitors, General Motors and Ford Motor Co. Previously, Ram, GM and Ford all offered powertrain warranties of five years of coverage or 60 thousand miles, whichever came first. At a private media event on June 3, Kuniskis originally stated that the brand planned to offer the warranty only for its light-duty pickups. Since the preview event, Ram has decided to go all in on offering the warranty for all of its vehicles, except for those sold in fleets. Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence at S&P Global Mobility, said the broader warranty can "provide some peace of mind as loans extend to longer and longer payments," noting that other automakers, like Hyundai, have used longer warranty offers to boost consumer confidence. According to Brinley, it's not certain that the new offer will immediately result in more Ram vehicles on the road, but it might help. "The warranty is not a magic bullet that skyrockets sales, but it can increase consideration for conquest buyers and help hold brand loyalists," Brinley said. The announcement is the fourth piece of news in a marathon of product releases that Kuniskis has spearheaded. Most notably, Ram has announced intentions to bring back the Hemi engine, along with a return to the NASCAR truck series, announced with a prototype race truck doing doughnuts at the Michigan International Speedway. With this latest announcement, Kunisikis said, "Ram is making a stronger and longer commitment to our customers.' Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him: LRappleye@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ram announces 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on new vehicles
